After the kind of season he had, it probably wasn’t much of a surprise.
Multi-talented Iowa State sophomore Royce White has signed with an agent and will head to the NBA draft, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com.
Players have the option to back out of the draft and return to college by April 10, but, as it is reported that White has signed an agent, he has lost his amateur status and, thus, must remain in the pool.
White had a breakout season with the Cyclones in 2011-12, averaging just over 13 points, nine rebounds, and five assists per game.
He is one of the most unique players in the country and, because of that, should be a hot commodity for teams in the mid-first round of the draft. DraftExpress has White slated to go 19th overall.
What makes White so unique is his combination of size, basketball IQ, and ballhandling skills. At 6-8, 270 pounds, he has a frame similar to LeBron James (scary), though time in the weight room will help him to add muscle and become more NBA-ready.
His court vision was key to Iowa State’s success this season, and his dribble penetration was among the toughest in the country to defend. By using his body, he drew defenders in the lane, which opened up room for his shooters on the perimeter.
White joins Maalik Wayns of Villanova and Moe Harkless of St. John’s to be perhaps the three most prominent players who have declared for the draft so far.
For those who have not gained agent representation, the NCAA’s early-entry deadline is April 10, but the NBA does not require players to enter until April 29, which has made the situation rather confusing.
NBCSports.com attempts to clarify it here.
Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_
